Dat “Be Dat” Nguyen was known as a decorated amateur boxer. One that had solid fundamental boxing ability; the ability to hit and not be hit.

But all it takes is one landed punch for the ability to go out the window and the inner warrior to rise from within.

Andres Ledesma of Cartagena, Colombia found this out in the second round. He landed a few solid blows. Nguyen’s (17-1, 6 KO) face lit up in anger, and he raced towards Ledesma (15-15-1, 10 KO), lowered his left hand to his knees, and landed a massive left hook. Ledesma crumpled to the canvas, but managed to rise.

The rest of the match followed the same pattern. Nguyen’s corner implored him to box, but instead he taunted Ledesma, who preferred to box and move, and asked him to fight.

In the eighth round, Nguyen’s mouth was filling with blood. His response? He stuck his arms out to his sides and asked for more. You can’t take the warrior out of a man’s spirit. Nguyen’s pressure and intimidation won him the match, 80-72, 79-72, and 78-73.

In Rayonta “Stingray” Whitfield’s last appearance, he was worn down and stopped by longtime Argentine world champion Omar Narvaez.

In his return, he faced off against Evaristo Primero, a man he had beaten once before. Primero didn’t pose much of a threat, but caused other unexpected problems.

Fritzie Zivic is known as one of the dirtiest boxers in history. Primero (14-13-1, 7 KO) must have watched a few old tapes because he used every trick in the book in an attempt to take Whitfield (23-1, 11 KO) out of his game. In the end, he couldn’t, and Whitfield had to settle for an ugly, but clear unanimous decision victory: 80-71, 80-72, and 78-74.

Eugene “Mean Gene” Hill struggled in his last two bouts against quick-moving boxer Zack Page. Joseph Harris would pose no such challenge. He fought just how Hill liked them, as he stood in front of Hill and chose to trade punches.

This is never a good idea.

Hill (18-1, 15 KO) kept Harris (10-10, 7 KO) against the ropes, and in the fourth sent him down like a sack of potatoes after a few crippling body punches. Official time was one minute, twenty-three seconds.

Karl “KJ” Noons is best known for being an MMA world champion. After a contract impasse with EliteXC, he has shifted his focus to boxing, with mixed results. After reeling off four wins, he lost to journeyman Daniel Stanislavjevic. After four more victories, he lost again, to fellow prospect James Countryman.

To his credit, he has never given up, and his path proves how difficult it is to make it in boxing. Unlike MMA, where a man with no prior experience can show up and win a championship in a handful of fights, boxing takes a lifetime of sacrifice and dedication to truly master.

Julio Perez is best known for winning via disqualification against local prospect Chase Shields. Perez landed a good punch, and in response, Shields body slammed Garcia, breaking his arm in the process.

Since then he has lost four straight matches. Perez (6-15-2, 4 KO) did not pose much of a problem to Noons (11-2, 5 KO) either. After five ugly rounds, Noons finally landed the punch he had been looking for. He went for the knockout but ran out of time. But he won the match via unanimous decision: 60-54 on all three cards. After the bout he called out the aforementioned Shields and mentioned a possible MMA bout against Ricardo Mayorga.

Gerardo “Tin Tin” Ibarra made his presence known with one punch.

Ibarra (6-0, 5 KO) pulled his left arm back, wound up, and landed an electrifying left hook to the jaw of Gustavo Meija. Meija (3-8-1, 3 KO) fell straight back and when he awakened a few minutes later was seeing stars. It was the kind of performance that makes one take notice. Official time was one minute, seven seconds.

Mickey Bey Jr. landed a similar left hook against Michaelangelo Lynks in the second round. Lynks (7-12-2, 2 KO) had just backed up, but left his hands down. Bey (14-0, 7 KO) made him pay. Unfortunately for him, Lynks rose and did not allow himself to be knocked down again. Bey pounded out a decision victory, 60-53 on all cards.

Francisco Contreras of the Dominican Republic is the ultimate professional. Ronald Boyd was an opponent meant to beaten, and Contreras (11-0, 11 KO) finished him off quickly. He knocked Boyd (6-9, 2 KO) down twice in the first round and made the phrase third time is the charm by finishing him off with a third knockdown. It only took two minutes, ten seconds.

David Garcia and Artis Walton were each making their professional debuts. The difference: Garcia was highly touted out of Oxnard, California and being groomed for big things.

Garcia (1-0, 1 KO) proved why as he sent Wilson’s (0-1) mouthpiece flying with a digging right cross in the first. A left hook began a flurry that sent Wilson down. In the second round, Wilson again went down courtesy of two hard, straight right hands and the referee said “no more.” Wilson wondered why, but he was on very wobbly legs. Official time was thirty-seven seconds.